She reminded him of the
great Norse women he had read about in his boyhood. Besides all
this, he was loyal and true to the woman who had befriended him,
and who had so far appreciated his devotion to her interests as to
promote him from hostler and driver to foreman of the stables.
Nilsson knew Quigg by sight, for he had seen him walking home with
Jennie from church. His knowledge of English was slight, but it
was enough to enable him to comprehend Quigg's purpose as he
talked beside him on the cart. After some questions about how
long the enforced idleness would continue, he asked suddenly:--
"Who da horse clean when I go 'way?"
"D--n her! let her clean it herself," Quigg answered angrily.
This ended the question for Nilsson, and it very nearly ended the
delegate. Jumping from the cart, Carl picked up the shovel and
sprang toward Quigg, who dodged out of his way, and then took to
his heels.
When Nilsson, still white with anger, reached the dock, he related
the incident to Cully, who, on his return home, retailed it to
Jennie with such variety of gesture and intonation that that young
lady blushed scarlet, but whether from sympathy for Quigg or
admiration for Nilsson, Cully was unable to decide.
Quigg's failure to coax away one of Tom's men ended active
operations against Tom, so far as the Union was concerned.
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